The Beginning of the Journey
by Cimorene
Summary: An episode eddition to "The Caretaker", Janeway's discussion with Chakotay that leads to him being First Officer


The Beginning of the Journey . . .  
  
By: Cimorene  
  
Author's Notes: Many thanks to JinnyW, my beta, for taking the time out of her incredibly busy schedule to beta this for me. I owe her a million . . . This story is dedicated to all those JetCers out there.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Star Trek charecters, nor do I claim any rights to them. I don't think it'd be a good idea to sue me because you'd get nothing out of it. I'm just a poor student. I'm not making any money off of any fanfic I write.  
  
Feedback: ColebaltBlue@hotmail.com  
  
I sat at my desk, staring at the picture of Mark and Molly and me that graced my terminal. I already missed the two of them, it was just beginning to hit home that I might never see them again, Mark, Molly, mom, Phoebe, anybody. On top of all of that I was in quite a bind. With only about 2/3rds of my crew compliment left alive after our trip to the Delta Quadrant and about 40 Maquis on board I didn't know what to do.  
  
I ran my hands through my hair, then reached up and slowly began taking the pins out of it. As I was doing so I remembered how much Mark loved my hair, and how much I would miss him brushing it as I went to sleep at night. It really wasn't that long right now, he liked it longer, but I had cut it just before I left, I did really prefer short hair. It reached a few inches past my shoulder blades. I left it free as I slowly took off my jacket remembering how Mark used to take it from me the second I walked through the door to our apartment. He hated me wearing it constantly. I sat there at my desk with my hair down. My jacket on the floor where I dropped it; my turtleneck next to it. Now I was clothed only in my regulation black pants and gray short-sleeved top that I wore underneath.  
  
I stretched back looping my hands behind the chair as I thought about what to do. My mind was still full of thoughts of Mark though, Mark and Molly. I smiled softly and let myself remember the fun times we had together. After a few minutes I sat up swiftly and punched a button on the terminal getting rid of the picture. I had already indulged too long in idle thoughts. I needed to get work done, and decide what to do with the Maquis.  
  
I decided to start with the Maquis Captain, Chakotay. I had read his Starfleet Intelligence file, but hadn't dug much deeper, just enough to recognize him, but not enough to grow attached to my prisoner. I started with the file that Starfleet had given me to study before I was sent to track him down. It was pretty plain and simple. It gave his age, 3 years older than me, his height and weight, considerably more than mine on both accounts, and a brief history. He was born on Trebus, descendants from American Indians who had settled on Dorvan 5. He had joined Starfleet academy and was sponsored by Captain Sulu and had enjoyed some time in Starfleet. There was a note that included a list of his postings and people he had served under. Next the file listed crimes he was wanted for in connection with the Maquis, suspected cell members, and basically anything else Starfleet knew about him or the Maquis. I didn't get much out of there except that Starfleet wanted him because he was a former Starfleet officer who was now the leader of a Maquis cell.  
  
I was curious as to why Starfleet wanted him so badly so I decided to look through his Starfleet service record. He had apparently done very well at the Academy and a lot of his professors left good comments and recommendations in his file. All the Captains he served under had given him glowing reviews one even going so far as saying with a few more years under his belt he'd make the "best damned Captain Starfleet has ever seen, after Captain Kirk of course". I chuckled lightly at that one. He had apparently done very well and was well liked.  
  
Not much was in his file about how he left Starfleet, but I did notice that he resigned, and wasn't kicked out. Starfleet had lost a good Captain candidate and a person that had been a Commander with command level clearance before he left Starfleet. Well that explained why they wanted him back so badly. His reasons for joining the Maquis were based on honor, not on ideals. I admired him for that.  
  
I looked through the rest of the Maquis files pretty quickly. About half had had some Starfleet experience. A few had been through the Academy and graduated, but none had distinguished careers though, with the exception of their leader. A few had tried the Academy and dropped out, one was kicked out, or rather left by "mutual decision". A few had worked for Starfleet, if not actually in it. The other half were vagabonds who ended up in the Maquis and there was little information on them.  
  
I went back to thinking about what to do with the "crew problem" as I affectionately termed it. I knew that Tuvok wasn't exactly First Officer material, neither was Cavit, but he was assigned to me, and I much preferred Tuvok at security. No one else had the experience, nor the ability, no one except . . . I abruptly laughed at the idea. There was one person who did have the experience and the ability to be first officer; unfortunately his background kind of took him out of the running.  
  
I ran through the list of missing personnel and realized that with the exception of Tuvok and Harry Kim I had no senior officers. My Chief Engineer, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Helmsman, and my First Officer were all dead. Harry hardly had the experience, but maybe the ability was hidden in there somewhere underneath the green exterior. I couldn't possibly make him First Officer. Tom Paris had the ability and a bit of the experience required of a helmsman, but he had an attitude and was a convict. So that was what I was left with, no senior officers and a Maquis Captain and convict that had the ability to fill two of those slots.  
  
I thought back to when I had first met Chakotay, he was angry and rough, but I could see that underneath he was calm. That was reaffirmed when he spoke to the Caretaker with much more restraint than I was showing. He also trusted me when we went to the Ocampan planet and then again when his ship was destroyed. If he was showing so much trust in me, couldn't I show some in him? I made my decision quickly.  
  
"Janeway to Tuvok."  
  
"Tuvok here Captain."  
  
"Tuvok can you please escort Mr. Chakotay to my ready room?"  
  
"Yes Captain."  
  
"Janeway out."  
  
I'd have a few minutes before Tuvok got here with Chakotay, a few minutes to sort out my thoughts. What do I do? Do I just flat out offer him the First Officer's position, or maybe I should dance around it a bit before I do? I just didn't know. I stood up by the couch staring out the window of warped stars. All too soon the door chime rang.  
  
"Come in," I called. Tuvok entered first and behind him came Chakotay and then another guard. "Thank you Tuvok, that will be all. You can leave us." Tuvok looked at me carefully, but didn't say anything as he left, I could tell he was not pleased though. I decided to start first by trusting Chakotay alone with me.  
  
I stood there with my back turned to him; I hadn't even turned when he had come in. I turned to him now and offered a half smile.  
  
"Mr. Chakotay, can I get you something to drink?" I figured this would be as good a place to start a conversation as any.  
  
"Tea please." Crossing to the replicator I ordered a tea and a coffee. I didn't know how long this meeting would last and figured I might as well get the coffee while I could. I stepped back down to the desk carrying the cups. Chakotay was studying me intently with a kind of half smile on his lips. I handed him his cup and he broke his gaze quickly murmuring a thanks. I then looked down and realized that my hair was down and I was wearing just a regulation t-shirt. I blushed and turned to my desk. I called up Chakotay's file on my computer terminal.  
  
"Mr. Chakotay I've been going over your file, and I had a few questions to ask you." He nodded at me. "Ok first, I guess I want to know why you left Starfleet."  
  
"I left because I was frustrated by the fact that the Federation signed the treaty with the Cardassians ceding my peoples' planet even though there were many reports of Cardassian atrocities. I felt betrayed and I felt as if I could no longer serve an institution that did that to its own people." I was slightly taken aback by his answer; I had not looked at it that way. I had heard reports of Cardassian war crimes, and in a small way I even blamed the Cardassian's for taking away my father from me. I also had my own experiences in a Cardassian prison, but I was loyal to Starfleet, apparently Mr. Chakotay wasn't disloyal to Starfleet, he was merely more loyal to his people. That was one point in his favor. I nodded at him  
  
"Ok, about your time in Starfleet. I've been reading your records; all of your Captains were full of praise for your service. Do you have any problem with Starfleet?"  
  
"Honestly? No, I don't. Many Maquis do, but I don't. My argument isn't against Starfleet; it is against the Cardassians. I had a very good experience in Starfleet, but it was conflicting with my interests for my people. I felt I could best defend them as a Maquis, especially since Starfleet was refusing to acknowledge the problems with the Cardassians." He sat back after he answered and seemed to regard me with a less guarded expression; apparently I was under some test, and passing. I put my head in my hand and continued.  
  
"What about the rest of your cell?"  
  
"What about them?" he asked carefully.  
  
"What about their feelings towards Starfleet and the Federation in general?" I said as clarification.  
  
"Many hate it, and hate you for stranding us here." His words shocked me slightly. He certainly was honest and open.  
  
I had never looked at it that way; naively I opened my mouth, "Why?"  
  
His expression hardened, "Why do you think Captain? They feel betrayed by it. They feel as if the Federation sold them to the Cardassians for a few years of peace and for diplomatic games. They feel used and ignored. Many tried to convince the Federation of the crimes that the Cardassians committed, but they refused to listen. You have no idea what it is like to be held in a Cardassian prison, maybe then you'd understand," he hissed out at me.  
  
"I do," I said quietly. He looked at me in shock, and then his expression softened.  
  
"I'm sorry Captain."  
  
"You didn't know," I assured him. I was surprised at my admission, very few people knew of my time spent in the Cardassian prison, a few close family members, a few people on the Al-Batani, and the rest were dead. It was buried deep in my file and not many had access to that bit of information about me.  
  
"I apologize nonetheless. I truly am sorry Captain."  
  
"Apology accepted," I said as I sat back in my chair to regard him. Within a few minutes he had disarmed me and got me thinking. I could tell that this man didn't take orders from just anybody. I could also tell that he had strength of character and a calmness about him that in a strange way comforted me.  
  
I also realized that he made me forget Mark. I looked again at his face. He was handsome, although I had yet to see him smile. I idly wondered what a smile would do to change his features. He was tall and well built and perhaps in another time and place I might be really attracted to him. I was silent for a few minutes as I continued to regard him.  
  
"My first officer was killed when the Caretaker brought us here. I don't have one, nor do I have a replacement for him," I said almost offhandedly. I wanted to see his reaction. His eyes changed slightly but he said nothing. "I also have another problem." He nodded slowly at me, as if giving me permission to continue. "I have only 2/3rds of my crew compliment and 40 Maquis on board. We don't have the resources to keep this ship running with the Maquis held in the brig."  
  
"That is quite a problem," he said.  
  
"I need a first officer, and no one is qualified to take the position. No one, except one person I least expected to have the both the ability and the experience to handle the position. Now all I need to know is if he has the desire to be." My steady gaze on him left no doubt as to whom I meant. He looked at me carefully again and seemed to weigh his options.  
  
"If I do accept I don't want to be a token Maquis officer. I will be your First Officer and I will be treated as such."  
  
"There is another condition," I broke in before he could continue. "This crew will be a Starfleet crew, and my First Officer will hold the rank of Commander in Starfleet with a field commission. I won't have it any other way."  
  
He nodded as if expecting this, "Then I will be treated like a Starfleet First Officer. Don't forget Captain I have experience and I know what to expect. I also won't be your only Maquis officer."  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked.  
  
"I mean that I am going to make a list of recommendations based on the spots you need to fill and who I think, out of the Maquis crew, would be best for those spots. I also expect you to take those recommendations seriously." He said this with all seriousness and I nodded at him. Then I realized that I had just given into a demand of his. He seemed satisfied though and sat back.  
  
"Then Mr. Chakotay. What do you think about Mr. Paris becoming Lt. Paris and becoming our chief helmsman?"  
  
"I think it would be a good idea, he is defiantly qualified for it, and I think with some responsibility his attitude would change."  
  
"I'm surprised to hear that from you. You wanted to kill him when you saw him on my bridge for the first time."  
  
"He distinguished himself down there on Ocampa, and now I owe him my life."  
  
"So you will protect him from the vicious Maquis and Starfleet alike?" I asked with a smile. Chakotay smiled back at me giving me a peek at a soft face graced with dimples.  
  
"I'll do my best."  
  
"Good then. You can use the First Officer's office, located on deck two. I'll give you command codes and you can start setting up in there. I expect you back on my bridge in full uniform and a field commissioned officer's rank bar with the rank of Commander at the start of the Alpha shift, which is in 4 hours. I'll notify Tuvok."  
  
"Our bridge Captain," he said as he was getting up.  
  
"Right Commander, our bridge and our crew. I also expect to see those recommendations on my desk soon."  
  
"Aye Captain," he said as he walked out the door. I grinned. I had gotten one hell of a first officer out of the deal and I sensed this was going to be the start of a beautiful friendship..  
  
The End. 


End file.
